Time trends in general practitioners’ home visits for older patients: a retrospective cross-sectional study from Switzerland

Original article
Neuner-Jehle S, Graber SM, Keizer E, Huber C, Blozik E, Rosemann T, Senn O
Swiss Med Wkly. 2021;151:w20539

The number of home visits by general practitioners (GPs) has decreased in recent years, in contrast to the increasing number of frail and older patients in western countries. Current data on GP home visit numbers and rates are lacking for Switzerland. This study provides new data on GP home visit numbers and rates, and their associations with patient characteristics. There is an ongoing decline of GP home visits over past years, with a potentially negative impact on the quality of care for older and frail patients.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of statins in primary care: results from the Arteris cohort study

Original article
Romanens M, Adams A, Bojara W, Balint S, Warmuth W
Swiss Med Wkly. 2021;151:w20498

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health performed a health technology assessment regarding statins in primary care. The chosen models may lead to a situation where a clinically indicated statin therapy is estimated not to be cost effective. 

Swiss family physicians and home visits: a 10-year retrospective analysis and typology based on billing data

Original article
Lutula J, Taffé P, David S, Senn N, Mueller Y
Swiss Med Wkly. 2021;151:w20396

In the context of an aging population, homecare visits by family physicians may contribute to maintaining older patients at home; however, home visits by family physicians have decreased in number in the last decade with the emergence of homecare-oriented healthcare services. The authors aimed to describe the diversity of activities and evolution over time of home visits by Swiss family physicians. From 2006 to 2015, Vaud family physicians made 451,634 home visits. Most home visits were routine visits while emergency home visits were rare.

Risk factors for peritonsillar abscess in streptococcus A-negative tonsillitis: a case control study

Original article
Helfenberger L, Fischer R, Giezendanner S, Zeller A
Swiss Med Wkly. 2021;151:w20404

The Centor criteria, as well as C-reactive protein and white blood cell count, have a low discriminatory performance, and the FeverPAIN score is not useful in identifying patients at risk for peritonsillar abscess in group A haemolytic streptococcus-negative tonsillitis. 

Impact of first medical contact to revascularisation time on long-term clinical outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients

Original article
Roux O, Schweighauser A, Schukraft S, Stauffer JC, Goy JJ, Wenaweser P, Togni M, Windecker S, Cook S, Arroyo D, Puricel S
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20368

Youths and poor emotional wellbeing: is it just a matter of stress? A longitudinal survey

Original article
Gubelmann A, Auderset D, Akre C, Barrense-Dias Y, Surís JC
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20290

Using a longitudinal approach, stress and perceived health status seem to be the main factors that change with emotional wellbeing among youths. Inquiring about stress could be a good proxy for emotional wellbeing, especially among males, who tend to underestimate their emotional worries.

Effect of guideline revisions by the Swiss Society of Hypertension on blood pressure control in hypertensive patients from primary care

Original article
Giezendanner S, Tschudi P, Leuppi J, Dieterle T, Zeller A
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20279

The 2009 guideline change in high-risk patients was associated with a reduction in systolic office blood pressure together with an increase in pharmacological combination therapy. These results highlight primary care physicians’ efforts to implement blood pressure guidelines. Further, blood pressure goal attainment was more likely to be achieved in later follow-up visits.

What interventions do general practitioners recommend avoiding? A nationwide survey from Switzerland

Original article
Neuner-Jehle S, Grischott T, Markun S, Rosemann T, Senn O, Maeder M
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20283

Most suggestions from GPs were concordant with previously published recommendations of interventions to avoid, independently of GPs knowledge of these and reflecting their high clinical relevance. In addition, our study revealed some more relevant topics and may help to develop future “Choosing Wisely” recommendations, with the final goal to reduce low-value care.

Transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 to healthcare workers –observational results of a primary care hospital contact tracing

Original article
Canova V, Lederer Schläpfer H, Piso RJ, Droll A, Fenner L, Hoffmann T, Hoffmann M
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20257

The current protective measures for healthcare workers, including strict adherence to basic standard hygiene and facemasks, offer considerable protection during short periods of contact with symptomatic COVID-19 cases by diminishing the risk of direct and indirect transmission.

Quality of sleep in patients with nocturnal leg cramps and validity of a single-item measure of cramp-related sleep disturbance: an observational study

Original article
Sebo P, Haller DM, Maisonneuve H
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20217

Nocturnal leg cramps are characterised by sudden and painful involuntary contractions of the lower limbs occurring during sleep or at rest. Only a few studies have addressed the impact of nocturnal leg cramps on sleep quality.